This invention relates to a seating cluster for airport waiting and similar areas, and to a seating area formed from the clusters in a particular arrangement. While seating clusters according to the present invention may be used in bus stations, train stations, hotel waiting areas and other areas, reference to airport waiting areas will be used in this application merely for purposes of illustration. The invention results from studies into seating utilization in airport waiting areas, particularly at boarding gates. Such waiting areas are generally designed with a number of rows of seats. There may be as many as 20 or 30 seats in a row, with five to 10 rows to provide sufficient seating to accommodate passengers awaiting embarkation. Adjacent rows are usually back-to-back, so that a long row of occupants face an equally long row of occupants across a narrow aisle. Generally, these rows of seats are designed to that occupants share arm rests. This creates a situation where either one occupant takes up the entire arm rest, or adjacent occupants jockey their arms and elbows to acquire arm rest space.
Studies have shown that even in crowded airports, only about 60% of the seats in the prior art types of seating area arrangements are actually used for seating. This results from the fact that approximately 70% of all airline passengers are travelling alone and prefer not to sit in very close proximity to strangers. The rest of the seats are used to hold luggage or to provide space between passengers, particularly strangers. It has been observed that many passengers will stand off to the side of the seating area or in aisles rather than sit immediately next to strangers. In addition, these prior art seating areas usually do not provide space for luggage to be placed near the owner. If the luggage is not placed in a nearby seat thereby depriving another of a place to sit, the luggage will be placed in or at the end of an aisle, creating obstacles to free movement within the area and the possibility for stumbling and tripping of passengers over the obstacles.
If these problems are addressed at all, it generally involves providing larger areas. However, it has been observed that adding additional seats does not solve the problem, since only 60% of any added seats will generally be occupied. Interaction between individuals in public places, particularly strangers, is controlled by deeply ingrained customs of which individuals are usually not even aware. Concepts such as "space" and an avoidance of touching between and among individuals in public places have not been adequately recognized or taken into account. For various reasons these factors seem to be more important to Americans than to many other nationalities.
Prior art seating areas for airports also do not accommodate needs and preferences of families, friends and business associates traveling together. Most passengers traveling with acquaintances travel in groups of two. In prior art seating areas, such individuals are forced either to sit next to each other looking straight ahead, or across an aisle from each other. If sitting next to each other, they must turn towards each other to comfortably establish eye contact needed for conversation. If sitting across a relatively wide aisle from each other, they must speak over the conversation of others and at a volume which eliminates any privacy. Since each low row of seats has an equally long aisle between it and an adjacent row, with only two ends of the row for exiting, there is a continual flow of traffic between the seats, making conversation even more difficult.
Prior art seating arrangements do not provide any nearby table areas for food or drinks, newspapers or magazines, or for telephones, reading lights, ash trays or other conveniences. Very often, seat occupants place drink cups and food on the floor near the seat. These get kicked over, creating unsanitary conditions and increasing maintenance and replacement costs. Prior art seating arrangements also do not provide access or parking facilities for wheelchairs.
For all of these reasons, a new concept in public seating has been developed which solves these problems. In so doing, it is believed that more compact seating areas can be designed which will nevertheless respect privacy and result in more comfortable short term seating.